THUNDER BAY – Bill Mauro spent the past 15 years serving the city of Thunder Bay as an MPP, the last several with a seat at the cabinet table.
But he was caught up in a call for change that swept the governing Liberals from the reins of power, ousted by his NDP opponent and sent to the political sidelines.
The 62-year-old wants back in the game and thinks his experience at the provincial level will serve the city well if voters decide to give him a shot in the mayor’s chair for the next four years.
It was that Queen’s Park vantage point that convinced Mauro there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to return Thunder Bay to prosperity again.
He believes he’s the candidate to get the city there.
“I do have a pretty significant concern with where we may be going as a community,” Mauro said. “I’m aware very acutely of the supporting assistance that’s been flowing to all municipalities, including the City of Thunder Bay over the last couple of years.
“I have a concern that with the current government provincially – and I hope I’m wrong – but it seems to me they are already beginning to set up a situation where we may begin to see significant cuts, and some of those cuts may directly impact the City of Thunder Bay and its financial support through a variety of programs that’s been coming to the city.”
Mauro said if that turns out to be the case, the city will have to have leadership who can successfully advocate back to senior levels of government, or some difficult decisions will have to be made.
“When I was on council back in 1997, I lived that,” said Mauro, who served in Northwood ward for six years before making the leap to provincial politics. “I saw this game, I saw this template played out from 1997 to 2003.”
Despite his Liberal ties – Mauro describes himself as a fiscal conservative – he believes he can work with the Doug Ford government.
“At the end of the day, your relationships can only take you so far. You need to be able to make your case. I think in the context of the City of Thunder Bay, we’re going to have some potentially serious challenges and I think that I consider myself able to at least make the case,” Mauro said.
The veteran politician helped bring angioplasty and cardiac surgery to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and said the Liberals helped bring Thunder Bay back from the brink after the forest industry collapsed.
“That work has to continue,” Mauro said, referencing Bombardier’s sticky situation with the City of Toronto.
When it comes to city priorities, Mauro said it starts with crime and public safety.
“People do not feel secure. They do not feel safe,” said Mauro, reiterating his call to the police services board, which is under investigation, to pause the hiring process for a new chief.
“Given the situation, I think it’s in the best interest of the police services board. I think it’s in the best interest of the community.”
Election Day is Oct. 22, with online and telephone voting beginning on Oct. 9.
